What is ESP?
“ESP serves participants beginning at birth and with no upper age limit, welcoming participants with diagnoses of Cerebral Palsy, Down syndrome, Autism, Traumatic Brain Injury, Spina Bifida, and many more. Here at ESP, participants are never turned away because of their ability. Our specialized programs enable our participants to thrive with swimming, dancing, arts and crafts and cooking; family support, retreats, dinners, counseling, and holiday events.”
-ESP’s website
So, you say you were social media intern? Tell me more…
My Role
- Made timely and relevant posts and stories to support the messages and activities of ESP through Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn via Creator Studio
- Created graphics for social media promotions and events- Employed creative writing skills to create weekly blogs featured on ESP’s website
- Used a DSLR camera to capture photos and video footage at events and upload them online
- Demonstrated a strong attention to detail when editing photos of daily activities using Adobe Lightroom
Want some light reading? Check out some of my blogs
ESP Groovy Summer Edition: Meet Our First Time Campers
One of our favorite parts of ESP Groovy Summer was meeting all of our wonderful and unique new campers. We are grateful to offer summer camp to families all across Georgia and we welcome new ones with open arms. This summer, we welcomed many new campers to our family, and it’s been so incredible to see them transform through their experiences at camp! Here’s an introduction to some fantastic first-timers!
KG
KG made her way into the yellow team’s hearts this summer with her dazzling personality and positive attitude! One thing we learned about KG during our time with her is that she absolutely LOVES to dance. She would start groovin’ as soon as she got out of her car in the morning, and was always up on her feet as soon as she heard music! While KG certainly had an amazing impact on all of the staff and other participants, we’re so happy to see that her time at camp equally influenced her.
One memory of KG that stands out was on our first Bounce House Day of the summer. KG likes having both feet firmly planted on solid ground, and she has always had a fear of inflatables and heights. However, KG’s buddy, Cathleen, was ready to encourage KG to give them a try! In the end, KG didn’t only make it down the inflatable slide, but she had fun while doing it! Her parents couldn’t believe it! Last week, KG went down the water slide not once, but THREE times! “I am extremely proud of her for doing it more than once. It says a lot for the staff that they could persuade her,” says her mom.
KG has also formed many beautiful friendships with other campers this summer, including one with her new BFF, Garrett! KG and Garrett loved spending time together during activities, and it was so heartwarming to see KG ask to push Garrett’s wheelchair around at any chance she got. KG’s mother couldn’t be more grateful for the relationships she’s formed at camp.
“My number one hope in sending KG to camp was that she would make age-mate friends, and she has! She’s made a LOT of new friends and one very special one. I am a happy and thankful mama,” says KG’s mom.
We can’t wait to see KG continue to grow during her involvement at ESP in the future!
Cara
Cara is our next new camper this summer, and she has been such a light at the purple site! Known as the “Glitter Fairy,” Cara loves all things pink and purple, and is always ready to bust a move, especially when her favorite artist JoJo Siwa is playing. Cara is JoJo’s biggest fan, and wears a giant bow in her hair just like hers!
At camp, Cara always looked forward to going swimming in the pool at Adventure Day, participating in cooking classes, and drawing with chalk! One of our favorite memories of Cara is when she performed a fabulous gymnastics routine during the “Little Hearts” talent show!
Cara has such a sweet personality, and was always a ball of energy in the mornings. She loved to give all of the counselors and other campers big hugs, and one of her favorite pastimes is getting piggy back rides from her buddy, McKenzie! McKenzie says that Cara is “the happiest little girl at camp! Her smile is contagious, and her dance moves will brighten your day!
Cara has made so many strides at camp, especially when it comes to being more open and social with those around her! On her first day of camp, Cara was quiet and didn’t engage much with others, but by the end of the day, she had blossomed! Cara’s other buddy, Julia says that she began talking to everyone and showing everyone “so much love” because “she knew that ESP was a place she could be herself and everyone would ADORE her for it.”
We’re so proud to see Cara soar this summer!
Brady
Another one of our new campers this summer was Brady! Brady brought so much joy to everyone at the green site, and his energy made every day fun and exciting! He is so curious about the world around him, and was always pondering interesting questions.
This summer was Brady’s first time ever attending a camp, and his mom was worried that he might be nervous in the unfamiliar environment. However, things couldn’t have gone more differently! Brady was excited from the moment he first stepped out of the car at welcome wagon, and he was always so eager to find out what activities everyone would be doing that day.
Brady is incredibly kind to everyone he meets, and it’s been a pleasure to see him channel that into helping other campers this summer. He really enjoys interacting with our campers who don’t use words to communicate, and has developed a special bond with a participant named Lenae! Lenae uses a wheelchair and Brady is constantly making sure she’s involved in all of the activities. He always lets her know what’s going on. He even asked her to prom and danced with her the whole day!
Brady has been such a great addition to ESP and has surely made some memories of a lifetime during his time here!
Cade
Our next first-time camper is the amazing Cade who brought his sky-high spirit to the blue site this summer! Cade is known around ESP for his unparalleled energy during every camp activity, which has earned him several “hype” awards. He is a HUGE Scooby Doo fan, and sings the theme song (which he knows by heart) each morning during flag. His enthusiasm is always such a great way to start every day!
Cade is also a devoted fan of the Georgia Bulldogs, and wears his UGA shirt for each “Team Tuesday.” Cade’s buddy, Colin, is also a huge fan, and him and Cade love discussing all of the latest Bulldog news. Colin describes Cade as “the GROOVIEST buddy anyone could have! It is so easy to brag on him and he is the most hype camper at ESP!”
It’s been incredible to see how quickly Cade has made a home at ESP. Since his first day, Cade has left all of his inhibitions at the door, and embraced every activity and person at camp! His confidence has truly grown through all of the cheers and support he’s received during his time here.
Cade is already so loved by everyone at the blue site, and we know he will have the same impact on the rest of ESP when they finally get to meet him!
Ruth
Now we have the dazzling Ruth who brought her amazing dance skills to the orange site this summer! Ruth always had a smile on her face, and she loves Moana! During the talent show, she danced to “How Far I’ll Go” and even had a lovely dress to match.
Ruth loves everything Disney, pink, and our bounce house days! She would stay at the bottom of the water slide splashing around, and on messy days, her favorite thing to do was to get her friends wet!
Bart describes Ruth as “the sweetest buddy anyone could have! Ruth is so easy to get along with and loves to have fun!”
Ruth has shown true joy at camp and her mother was amazed at all her progress she made at camp. She shined on stage at “Little Hearts” where the first week she was at camp, she was shy and hesitant about showing off her dance moves.
“In the midst of all that the world is experiencing, ESP has been an oasis for Ruth. I don’t know what else Ruth could have done to make her life happy in the midst of this pandemic. I am so grateful to you and ESP for giving Ruthie joy,” said Ruth’s mom Ericka.
Luciano
Last but not least is the awesome Luciano! Luciano is known around the red site by his nickname “Lucci” (as in Gucci), which was given to him by his buddy, Ryan! At camp, you can always find Lucci running around, and participating in tons of physical activities, like sports.
Lucci is fluent in Spanish, LOVES Disney movies and songs and always looks forward to delicious afternoon snacks! One of his favorite days is Bounce House Day because he can go down the water slides and jump in the inflatable castle!
When Luciano first came to camp, he was a little reserved, but as the week went on, his buddy saw him open up and start to feel comfortable in his new environment. Lucci soon began THRIVING at camp! He enjoys laughing with all of his friends, playing with the blow-up car-wash man during welcome wagon, and getting lots of tickles from his buddy!
It’s been wonderful to see Luciano break out of his shell this summer!
We’re so happy to have camp this summer and be able to get to know our new campers and create unique experiences for them. While many camps were closed, we were a lifeline for many families looking for camps for their children. We’re so lucky to have been one of the few camps open for people of all abilities, and thus, we made tons of new friends! Our new friends transformed before our eyes and had a magical time at camp.
Summer camp is more than just fun, it is “play with a purpose” where our campers work on goals, social skills, fine motor skills, and more disguised as fun activities. One camper named Emily even learned how to button her shirts this summer!
We know that their continued involvement at ESP will result in even greater development for these new participants, and we can’t wait to be a part of that journey!
Groovy Summer Edition: Meet Your 2020 Unit Specialists
Summer camp is finally here, and although we might be doing things a little differently this year, our summer leadership staff is just as excited to kick off ESP’s Groovy Summer! Unique, motivated, and compassionate, these team members are the perfect leaders to represent ESP and make the most of camp for everyone involved! Here’s a rundown on our 2020 site managers and unit specialists so that you can get to know their friendly faces!
Say Hello to Charlie (Emma)
Emma, known around ESP by her nickname Charlie, is so excited to take on her first leadership role this summer! Charlie will be boogin’ with the blue team at the Bethlehem Bishop campsite as a unit specialist. Charlie started volunteering at ESP in 2018 after hearing about it through people in her cohort at UGA. She worked at summer camp for the first time last year, and jumped on the opportunity to do it again! One of Charlie’s favorite camp memories is seeing her buddy have a blast at a color war on Fun Friday, even though she painted Charlie more than anyone else! Charlie loves how inclusive ESP is because everyone is able to participate in camp, no matter their age or abilities! She just graduated from the University of Georgia, and now has a B.S.Ed. in Special Education (Adapted). In the future, Charlie hopes to be either a special education teacher or a Board Certified Behavior Analyst so that she can work with kids just like those at ESP!
Say Hello to Matt
After graduating from the University of Georgia this semester with a degree in Special Education, Matt says he’s going to be “bringing the camp energy” this summer as a site manager at Crossroads with team purple! Matt started his journey at ESP six years ago, and has been working here for two! Helping others is extremely important to Matt, and he feels that his purpose in life is to serve those with disabilities in any way he can. Some of his favorite memories over the years include participating in a salon class at CTL overnight camp with his all-boys cabin, and witnessing a belly flop competition at Legion Pool! This year, Matt is looking forward to Fun Fridays because everybody “gets to be a part of the ESP family for a day and just experience a glimpse of the love and joy that we have with one another.” When Matt isn’t working at ESP, he’s doing magic tricks, DJing, brushing up on his Spanish, or hosting bachelor nights so that all of the ESP staff members can spend quality time together!
Say Hello to Kayla
Joining us for her first summer camp is Kayla! Kayla just finished her freshman year studying adapted special education at the University of Georgia, and is hoping to get her master’s degree in applied behavioral analysis after graduation. She couldn’t be more ready to hype up the whole crew at Camp Hooray on the green team as a unit specialist this summer! Kayla developed a passion for working with individuals with disabilities after participating in several programs similar to ESP growing up. When she started at UGA, Kayla was motivated to find somewhere near campus where she could continue her involvement. Kayla discovered ESP and absolutely fell in love with it after attending 360, and now she can’t stay away! This summer, Kayla is looking forward to experiencing Flag and skits for the first time, and implementing her fun ideas into the classes she’s leading. Fun fact about Kayla is she did All Star competitive cheerleading for eight years!
Say Hello to Chloe
Chloe is excited to start her 8th summer at ESP as a unit specialist for team yellow at our Bethlehem Winder campsite! Over the years, Chloe has loved taking advantage of all of the new and unique opportunities that ESP offers, and has been able to grow her confidence, skill set, and friend group. This summer, she is looking forward to bonding and building relationships with the new campers and her fellow staff members. Chloe is passionate about the deaf community and loves performing the ASL version of her favorite camp song, “Little Red Wagon!” She is currently a student at the University of Georgia and is majoring in adapted special education. Her favorite animal is the manatee, which she likes to refer to as the “sea cow,” because “they’re not traditionally pretty… they’re just themselves, and the way they are is beautiful!”
Say Hello to Grant
Grant just graduated from UGA this May with a B.S.Ed. in Special Education. He is eagerly anticipating to start his roles as a site manager at Camp Hooray! Grant first heard about ESP six years ago after attending a recital at 360 where one of our camp directors, Jake, encouraged him to apply for a summer job. He’s been coming back ever since! Grant has a profound appreciation for ESP’s ability to accept, inspire, and impact the lives of everyone involved. He loves being able to share in his camper’s new experiences, like going down the waterslide at the pool for the first time or trying horseback riding! His favorite camp song is the “Beaver Song,” and one of his favorite ESP memories is when he and a group of friends got to dress up as the Ice Age characters on a Fun Friday! As a 6w5 enneagram type, Grant is very independent, but he says that ESP is teaching him how to work in a team. An interesting fact about Grant is that he’s double jointed in both arms!
Say Hello to McKenzie
McKenzie can’t wait to see all of her favorite people again this summer! She has been involved at ESP for five years now, and has been working here for four. McKenzie first participated in Big Hearts in 2014, and has done 360, NKA and club events, and summer camp since then. This summer, she is looking forward to being a unit specialist at our Crossroads location! McKenzie loves her ESP family and the feeling of “togetherness” she gets at camp. She says that one of the best experiences she’s ever had was being buddies with camper Kyla at NKA CTL in 2018 because it was both of their first times participating in overnight camp. McKenzie just finished her sophomore at Dahlonega as a psychology major minoring in criminal justice. In the future, McKenzie thinks it would be awesome to be a criminal profiler. She loves sitcoms, especially “Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” and her favorite camp song is the “Moose Song!”
Say Hello to Nora
This summer, Nora will be a unit specialist for team red at Athens Church! Nora volunteered at ESP for the first time back in 2012 at the Fall Festival, and loved it so much that she participated in Big Hearts in 2014. Nora says she has been at almost every ESP event since then! Her favorite thing about camp is that everyone becomes a big family, and every summer, Nora looks forward to meeting new campers and staff because it’s like getting a whole new set of best friends! Nora’s favorite ESP memories are always from CTL because it’s so unique every time, and it provides everyone with opportunities to get close to their buddies. She says that overall, camp is just magical! Nora’s favorite camp song is “Blue” because her best friend Blue and her get to go into the circle, sing, dance, and jump around! She is a rising junior at UGA, and is majoring in special education. After graduation, Nora is interested in attending occupational therapy school. Nora is a vegetarian and loves Taylor Swift!
Say Hello to Tyler
Tyler is a graduate from the University of Georgia with a B.S.Ed. in Special Education! He is currently in school pursuing a B.A. in Spanish and an Assistant Behavior Analyst certification. Tyler is no stranger to ESP’s summer camp! He has been a counselor before, and has participated in many other ESP activities, such as ESPlaces and Big Hearts. ESP is very close to home for Tyler, as his mother, Gina, is our Director of Operations! Tyler’s brother, Clete, is also involved in ESP as a participant. Tyler says he is so passionate about ESP because he gets to see the impact the programs have on his brother firsthand. He loves seeing Clete interact with others, build relationships, and be shown real love by everyone at ESP. He says that he loves “giving back to a place that gives back to my family.” Tyler’s favorite ESP memory is having a participant run to embrace him all the way from across the room! Tyler is an enneagram type 2, which means that he’s extremely caring and empathetic towards others and their needs. This summer, Tyler will be a site manager at the ESP main building on team orange!
Say Hello to Grace
This will be Grace’s sixth summer at ESP! She will be joining the orange team as a unit specialist at the ESP main building. Grace just finished her freshman year at the University of Georgia as a double major in biology and psychology. One of her favorite events at ESP is Big Hearts because it’s so fun to see people show off their talents, although she always becomes emotional! Grace is so excited to be back at camp and see friendships blossom between staff, volunteers, and campers this summer. She is especially looking forward to Flag and singing her favorite camp songs, “Black Socks” and “Milk.” In her free time, Grace loves watching cop shows, like “Law & Order,” and says she would be an investigator if she didn’t want to be a doctor!
This fantastic team is looking forward to serving you all summer long! They are ready for a summer full of fun, excitement, and growth!
Intrigued? Read more of my blogs from ESP
https://espyouandme.org/blog/esp-blog/2020%20Unit%20Leaders
https://espyouandme.org/blog/esp-blog/Groovy%20Week%20One
https://espyouandme.org/blog/esp-blog/Big%20Jump%21
https://espyouandme.org/blog/esp-blog/Activities
https://espyouandme.org/blog/esp-blog/Week%20Four
https://espyouandme.org/blog/esp-blog/Week%20Five
https://espyouandme.org/blog/esp-blog/Sixth%20Week%20Recap
https://espyouandme.org/blog/esp-blog/Seventh%20Week%20Recap
Want to put a smile on your face? Explore a few of my social media posts
View some of my graphics
Check out some of my favorite photos I took
My internship at ESP wasn’t just an office job. I had the opportunity to meet so many amazing participants and counselors while taking photos at ESP’s summer camp each day.
